California Dreaming of NBC Universal

For all those IMLP’ers and anyone else interested in the process behind relocating for their rotations through GE and NBC Universal, you may want to read what I have posted below.

I will be moving from my “natural habitat” (aka New York) to Los Angeles for my first two rotations in the program. I recently flew to LA to locate an apartment, and I thought I might share some of my experiences and some tips.

1. Book your flights early. This goes for anyone, not just those flying across the country. The earlier you book, the cheaper it is. Saving money is always a plus. Also, Jetblue and Virgin America seem to have some of the best deals. I personally enjoy Jetblue’s services, but that’s just me.


2. Bring Information. Have as much information regarding your credit history and previous residences as possible available when apartment hunting. Most places today require a credit check before you're even eligible to be considered as a tenant. If you’re like me and you went out to your location earlier, you may need a letter from your human resources manager stating your hire and start dates to confirm that you have a job


3. Do some research. Talking to people and looking on Craigslist and Google Maps for locations gave me a pretty basic understanding of what kind of prices I would be looking at and how long of a commute it would be to work, way before I got there. I seriously don’t recommend going in blind.


4. Bring a Camera. After looking at 4 or 5 different apartments they all began to sort of blur together. If it wasn’t for the pictures I took, wouldn’t have been able to tell them apart.


5. Bring someone. I can’t tell you how much a second opinion helped me when apartment hunting. Small things tend to slip your mind when you’ve been looking at apartments for 2 days straight, and having someone there to keep you on track and tell you what they think is a godsend.


6. ASK QUESTIONS! Don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as possible. Ask about discounts on rent. Ask about security deposits, about parking, about utilities, etc… If they don’t answer then there’s probably something wrong.

I was given a lot of helpful hints and tips from my IMLP Buddy, and they are always there if you need to ask questions, because they have already gone through what you're probably about to do. And just as a side note: just because I went apartment hunting weeks before my move date doesn’t mean you have to as well. It only takes about 2 or 3 days of solid hunting to find a nice place - so don’t fret, if you can’t go early, you’ll be fine.

Posted by: Matt Bellezza, NBC IMLP

Introducing... Our Newest Blogger (He's from NBC)

A little background about me... I'm Matt, a soon-tobe- first rotationer with  the IMLP program with NBC Universal in July.

I first heard of the IMLP Program when GE came to visit Syracuse University (where I got my degree in Information Management and Technology) for a Career Fair.  At first,I didn't realize that NBC Universal was even a part of the IMLP Program until I met a recruiter for my first interview.

Following the first interview, came a phone call about a 2nd interview that would be held over the phone, and if NBC liked what they heard, I would be eligable for  final round of interviews.

Shortly thereafter, I was flown out to Burbank, California to do a series of on location interviews at NBC Universal's HQ in Universal City, California. The interview consisted of 5 different 30 minute interviews (don't worry, I had a break in between).

After learning of my acceptance into the program a few weeks later, I was paired up with an IMLP "buddy" who is already on program.

On top of this, we have one full week for "orientation" at 30 Rock in the Big Apple, followed by the Junior bootcamp, whereall GE and NBC Universal IMLP's train for a month in Connecticut.

Despite being more then a month away from starting, I am preparing for my move out to California (I'm from New York) for my first two rotations. Packing, finding living arrangements, and getting my things out there, has really been keeping me busy.

Posted by: Matthew Bellezza, SU '09 Grad, NBC IMLP and the newest member of the blogging team!

How Are Rotations Determined?

New Rotations, Locations, and Projects. IMLP!

In our recent Q&A post, one commenter askedhow members of the IMLP program choose each of their four six-month rotations (Background on the program: members change projects four times in two years.)

Since GE has multiple businesses, including NBC, Technology Infrastructure, Energy Infrastructure, and Capital, the rotation selection process varies depending on which GE business you are hired into.

For additional information on what's going on in the GE Businesses, visit GE Reports.

Upon arrival at GE, the first assignment is assigned to the new IMLP before they start work. Also, keep in mind that locations and projects also vary depending on the business!

For the remaining three rotations, a list of available IMLP projects is presented to all of the IMLPs in that business and the IMLP submits their preferences anonymously. Assignment Leaders (what we call our managers while on a project) also present the projects on a conference call so the IMLPs can better understand each project and ask questions.

Next, a program representative then compiles the preferences of all of the IMLPs and assigns one rotation to each.

This question is actually quite timely, as many of the GE businesses are currently participating in the rotation selection now, as rotations and projects tend to wrap up at the end of August!

Note:  Your comments are very helpful- please continue to submit them via the commenting function on the blog, or visit our facebook page!

Relocating & Finding a Place to Live.

When people are learning about the program, one of the first questions I'm usually asked is.. "How do you find a place to live, if you're moving so often?"

So, for all of you out there who have been wondering about this, I'm here to share a few websites that provide a useful service of incorporating maps with apartment listings (I wish I had known about these for my last rotation!)

Basically, this innovative technique saves us all some time- no more copying and pasting addresses into Google Maps and moving between multiple tabs in your browser!

1. Padmapper: This site pulls data from Craigslist and displays them in a user-friendly way- on a map! So, filter based on location, rent, bedrooms and bathrooms.

2. MyApartmentMap : Incorporates data from Facebook listings and any publicly available apartment listings (from apartments.com and similar public listing sites) and displays the results on Google Maps.

3. HousingMaps: Similar to Padmapper in the sense that it pulls data from Craigslist, has a nice filter mechanism and displays the results on GoogleMaps. No iPhone application though.

*please note that these sites are not endorsed by GE or the IMLP program, but we have just found them helpful. Please always exercise with caution when dealing in an online marketplace environment.

IMLPs - Any other sites you have found helpful in your hunt for housing?